World Cup 2010: Liverpool await Fernando Torres D-Day

IT IS the question from 6,000 miles away in South Africa which may make Anfield shudder.

World Cup 2010: Fernando Torres does not know whether he will be in Spain's starting line-up []

If Fernando Torres is left out of Spain’s starting line-up for the World Cup final, it could start a tremor of doubt which will have an influence on his uncertain future at Liverpool.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque revealed here yesterday that Torres was not told in advance that he would be demoted to the bench for the semi-final victory over Germany.

Although there is a growing feeling around the Spanish camp that he will be reinstated for the clash with Holland at Soccer City, Johannesburg, on Sunday, Del Bosque said: “I don’t know yet if he will be in the line-up.”

Torres scored the goal which won the Euro 2008 final for Spain against Germany in Vienna and he returned to a successful season with Liverpool when they finished second in the Premier League the following spring. But he has lacked match sharpness in this tournament following surgery in April and has yet to score.

On Wednesday, his starting place went to Barcelona midfielder Pedro, deployed on the left to give greater depth to Spanish plans to halt Germany’s counter-attacking style.

Torres, along with his team-mates, did not know of the decision until two hours before kick-off, but Del Bosque added: “It was a difficult choice. Torres has been helping us all along. His work is important even if it is not noticed. He is so good at occupying the centre-backs.

“I didn’t talk to him before I announced the line-up. But he is a very important part of the team. He is one of the key members of the squad and a lovely guy.”

Torres has promised to talk with new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson as soon as the World Cup is over. There has been mounting speculation that Liverpool’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League will drive him to seek a move, with Chelsea ready and waiting with a £40million offer.

If he were to miss out on a starting place in Spain’s first World Cup final as well, it may convince him he needs a fresh start. However, Torres has already issued a reminder here that he is under contract at Anfield.

Pedro confessed his surprise at making the starting line-up and admitted he snatched away from Torres, who came on as a late substitute, a chance to break his duck.

Germany were vulnerable during a late Spanish break but instead of squaring the ball to the supremely placed Torres, Pedro tried one turn too many, stumbled over the ball and was robbed by Arne Friedrich.

Pedro said: “I had Torres to one side but perhaps I had too much confidence in myself.” As the debate over whether Torres will start in the final raged, his former Merseyside team-mate Xabi Alonso spelt out his joy at being part of a midfield set-up alongside Xavi and Andres Iniesta which dazzled the tournament in Durban.

“It is a privilege to be among this group of players, there is so much quality,” said Alonso, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid last year. “We give so much to keep the ball, and we believe in each other.

“But we work hard to give ourselves options both in attack and defence because we know if we don’t do that 100 per cent, any team can give us problems. That is the key to our success. It is our style and the results have been good so we will stick with it. Against Germany, we got the performance we needed.

“Keep the ball, get movement around the ball, get in the spaces to cause danger. We have been playing like that for the last three years.”

Spain have been made favourites to beat the Dutch, and Alonso said: “We have been coping with the pressure quite well because we knew the expectations were quite high.

“Being favourite doesn’t help, you have to justify it on the pitch. It will be a tough final.”